Table 1 Characteristics of the preclinical models used in cancer research

Time to model establishment

24–48 h

Variable, 2–6 week [108]

1 day [25]

2–3 week [47]

Diameter

10–30 µum [12]

Until 1–2 mm³ (then passages)

20–540 µm [25, 109]

200–500 µm

Establishment efficiency^a

Low, 10–15% CCR [110]; 42.1% GC ascites fluid [111]

19% GIST [112]; 54.8% GIs [112, 113]; 15.1 – 34.1% GC [111, 114]; 59% PDAC; 86% and 35% GBC [115]

47% [25]; 80% GC [28]

 > 50% GIs cancers

Cost

Cheap (culture medium, 1 × penicillin/streptomycin and 5–10% fetal bovine serum)

Expensive (Mouse Facility, ECM, fresh tissue from GIs patients)

Moderate (DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with B27, bFGF, EGF and Insulin in ultralow attachment plates) [109]

Expensive,

Commercial mediums or WNR-conditioned medium; 50% ECM; antibacterial and antifungal compound, B27 and N2 Supplements; specific recombinants growth factors and inhibitors; fresh tissue from GIs patients

Representativeness from parental tumor

Variable, more in low-passages (1–4) [12]

Very good, also recapitulated the TME interaction and metastasis process

Variable, retain phenotype and genetic from parent tissues. Promote expansion CSC [25, 28]

Good, retain genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity

Growth viability

Long-term expansion (> 90 passages, 1 year) [114]

Long-term expansion (~160 days) [114]

Short-term (~10 days)[30]

Long-term expansion (~100 passages, 1 year)[41]